A legacy rewritten; a chapter closed.
I’m pleased to share that the revised third edition of Recognising and Treating Breathing Pattern Disorders—one of my father Leon Chaitow’s most important and personal works—has now entered production.
This edition is the result of five years of editorial labour, deep restructuring, and complex coordination across multiple disciplines and authors. It is the second major volume in the Leon Chaitow Library of Bodywork and Movement Therapies that I’ve had the honour of editing since taking on stewardship of his professional legacy.
The original version of this book was born of lived experience. Following an episode of hyperventilation-induced paralysis in the 1990s, Leon turned his clinical focus toward what we now understand as Breathing Pattern Disorders—a topic he pursued obsessively in his research, writing, and teaching for the rest of his life. He even used his own techniques on himself in his final months, with the previous edition of this book open beside him.
It was a privilege—and, frankly, a massive challenge—to revise this volume. Much has changed in the field. Several of the original contributors have passed on. And science, language, and best practice have all evolved. So too have publishing standards.
My role as lead editor involved not just curating new contributions and updating references, but also restructuring the book’s logic, correcting inconsistencies, and working to bring the text into alignment with the expectations of modern interdisciplinary practice. This wasn’t just copyediting. It was a full-scale restoration project—both scholarly and personal.
The final edition includes new chapters, new contributors, and a rebalanced emphasis on multidisciplinary care, whole-person treatment, and clinical application. It was designed not just as a tribute, but as a truly usable, evidence-based handbook for modern practitioners.
🟢 Projected publication: early 2026
🟢 Now in production
🟢 Cover reveal and preorders to follow
Thank you to everyone who has supported this long effort. A special nod to the contributing authors who’ve kept this work alive. This one’s for you—and for him.
